I could of been debt free last year this time but I wouldn't have had any money to start up next year. I'm always buy new stuff so cash flow goes up and down. What I mean by slower pace is that I only can do one to two jobs a day. These are bigger jobs. So it's not like mowing where you stop for 25 mins then back in the truck to the next.Posted via Mobile Device

that's pretty typical to always be buying new stuff all the time when you first start out. there's a lot of little things that you need to have in order to be on the same playing field as the bigger companies. once you have everything and its paid for its nice. I'm excited for next year, because I already bought almost everything I could need or want. so hopefully if all goes like planned I can get my expenses down to 20-30k for the whole year, and bring my total gross to 75k and show some nice profits.

that's pretty typical to always be buying new stuff all the time when you first start out. there's a lot of little things that you need to have in order to be on the same playing field as the bigger companies. once you have everything and its paid for its nice. I'm excited for next year, because I already bought almost everything I could need or want. so hopefully if all goes like planned I can get my expenses down to 20-30k for the whole year, and bring my total gross to 75k and show some nice profits.

Do you write everything off the year you bought it or do you have it on the 5 year? My goal for this year was to hit 30k gross, get a cabover setup, and get a dump. I'll be close on the 30k and going to look at a older dump and odb leaf vac next weekend. I got the cabover just haven't got it setup yet. So the money I have will be gone soon if I buy the dump, vac, and get the ramps for the box truck. Are you going to be getting a new truck soon or keep rocking the 7.3? Buy a house? I figure I need to gross 75k or better to cover what I make now with the benefits. BTW what do you do about medical and what not? I'm thinking of working for UPS part time if I go fulltime at this. Sorry for the rambling.Posted via Mobile Device

Do you write everything off the year you bought it or do you have it on the 5 year? My goal for this year was to hit 30k gross, get a cabover setup, and get a dump. I'll be close on the 30k and going to look at a older dump and odb leaf vac next weekend. I got the cabover just haven't got it setup yet. So the money I have will be gone soon if I buy the dump, vac, and get the ramps for the box truck. Are you going to be getting a new truck soon or keep rocking the 7.3? Buy a house? I figure I need to gross 75k or better to cover what I make now with the benefits. BTW what do you do about medical and what not? I'm thinking of working for UPS part time if I go fulltime at this. Sorry for the rambling.Posted via Mobile Device

the first two years I wrote everything off the year I bought it because i wasn't responsible enough with my money to save anything, and was just focused on not having to pay federal taxes, and i was upgrading all my equipment anyways. this year I think i'm going to spread the major purchases out over 5 years so I show more profits. I'm looking into a new truck right now, I found the truck I want 2010 crew cab f-350 pearl white paint short bed 4x4 lariat 6.4 diesel only 88,000 miles they want 34400 for the truck and won't budge a dollar but clean blue book value is 40,000. anyways I have 4000 to put down but it will be my first auto loan and my dump trailer is only 9,000 and being only 25 I have very little credit. so to finance 9k to jump to financing 30k is pretty difficult, so I may not be able to get the truck which isn't the end of the world. If i don't get it. I'll pay off my two credit cards, then pay off my landscape trailer in the spring then dump trailer, then start saving money and probably be able to have 30k or more saved next fall and by the same truck cash and say F you to the bank. then continue saving money for a piece of land and just buy that cash, and build my house with all cash, that way I don't have to pay anyone any money to use their money. I all for financing bigger purchases but being self employed they make things so much harder and being young and this has really been my only serious source of employment, I had a few part time jobs but I can count all of them on one hand. with the two customers I picked up this summer I know I'm golden to save 6k a month if I have no bills to pay. my auto insurance is paid in full when the bill comes in. and if I get the new truck that insurance is only 1400 a year with full coverage, and the truck is under factory warranty still! i'm crossing my fingers i get it. also I will pay the truck payment for december, january, and february the month i get the truck if i do.

I got it under control. only 3k a card, and with my discover once I pay it off, I can do a balance transfer with 0% apr for 12 months. so I save a little money right there but not much because its only 3k i'm transferring.

Well, I think you're wise to take business at a pace you can handle, don't overspend on a flashy truck etc. you don't NEED but want (you mentioned this before it's good advice).

I think 12k in savings is great and keeping your finances in check is the biggest part of any business/personal, and making a profit. Makes sense to work somewhere else for insurance, very smart.

If you read the Jim Lewis thread and even etwman and many others, you'll see they all had humble begins but really had a business head on their shoulders.

I try to think before I buy something, do I need this? Is it going to make me more efficient, but what's the financial burden (credit etc.) short/long term, and cost recovery?

I would focus on marketing, billing, accounting, and finding profitable accounts (you mentioned looking for better accounts) next year. Unless you're happy with all these already, but it's really beneficial to know all your numbers then really determine if it's the right time to buy new equipment.

Anyway, I think your doing great. Those were just some opinions and advice from my own experiences these past couple years. Were similar ages I'm 23.

Sounds like you are pretty sharp yourself. I don't look much on the picture forum but I did find ETW thread this year. I started reading it from the beginning but haven't got back to it yet. All I can say is wow! I need to finish this winter sometime but I have some remodeling to do on my house do who knows. Oh I'm 29. Be thirty in febPosted via Mobile Device

It's great to watch the progression of a successful business, a thread where a guy got hurt with credit is Procut I believe.

I have a year and a half left of my finance bachelors (transferred twice lost some credits) and I may go for an mba or not (bad market now). I think I may be odd when I say I actually like the "business" side sales, estimates, billing etc. more than the actual work lol.

29, this is the perfect time to start building the business the smart way. In 5 years you'll be surprised how far you got.

Are you planning on transitioning to full time and employees right?

If not it's much easier to run a solo or 1 helper operation, but it's physically draining imo and sales have a definite ceiling after a certain point.